Wire rope is frequently employed as a means to transmit power and or motion within a system such as a ski-lift or elevator or within a machine such as a power shovel, and the like. Often the wire rope in such a system or machine collects dirt or debris on its outer surface as it is operational, that is during the periods that the wire rope is moved therein, and this way be further aggravated because such dirt and debris is attracted to and held by lubricant that is normally required to be present on the wire rope.
In some situations the wire rope is cleaned and possibly relubricated only at times the system or machine is inoperative and shut down for maintenance; and conversely it has often been the case that the rate at which the wire rope has become dirty established a maintenance schedule. Clearly it would be a great advantage to decrease the need to shut down and extend the operational periods of such systems and machines employing wire rope.